Monday, February 28, 2011

Design Wall Monday - 2/28/11

I managed to do a bit of needleturn applique last night while watching the Academy Awards, and finished four more blocks. This is a pattern called "Trick or Treat" from the Blackbird Designs book, "When the Cold Wind Blows."



At the top left of the picture are blocks prepped and ready to go. When I finish all of those, I'll have 55-60 of the blocks made. There are *only* 291 blocks total in this quilt.

This is about the point where I tend to want to give up on these kind of projects, but I'm going to forge ahead. The blocks are easy to prep and fun to applique. I figure if I only do three or four a week, that big total will be whittled down in this lifetime. I'd really like to get this one done before I get to The Home!

Check out Judy's Patchwork Times to see what real quilters have done this week!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Gorgeous Sunday



Stash Report 2011 - Week 9



I purchased seven yards this week. When Jane went to Market, she surprised me with a tower of Robyn Pandolph's Scarborough Fair. The yardage finally hit the shelves at the Fat Quarter Shop, so I purchased borders and backing to go with the tower. Next month the yardage for Pom Pom de Paris will hit, and then I'll be caught up on buying!! LOL

It's been so so so busy at work this week, full of meetings and even two nights of dinner meetings. That type of schedule doesn't lend itself to sewing - or even more garage cleaning. But it'll happen, hopefully soon!

It's cold here! Temps dropped below freezing last night - an odd occurrence for Southern California. My mountains have snow and they're beautiful. I'll get some pictures a little later when the sun comes up. If the snow had gotten as low as they said might happen, I would have have it on my lawn this morning. Oh, well, it was fun to think about! I still have making a snow angel on my bucket list!

2011 Totals:

Busted: 54.16 yards
Purchased: 95.65 yards
Net YTD: (41.49) yards busted :(

Visit Judy's Patchwork Times to check out the other stash reports. Those are REAL quilters! I'm just a wannabe!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

My Work Cut Out For Me

Picked up four quilts tonight. I'll be a binding machine over the next week or so. I love to stitch bindings! The bindings are already made, so I just need to square these puppies up, machine them on, and then I'm good to go on the hand stitching part!

I'll have to find the pattern names for these quilts, and I'll edit later to put those in. One is Judy's pattern! In the meantime, Penny checked them all out and gave her seal of approval!



These are slanted stars. 100% from stash, including the backing. I just cut a million squares from red scraps and started snowballing. Lots of oldies but goodies there!



This was an adorable kit that Kimberly had at the Fat Quarter Shop. I'll find the pattern and post the name.



This is a Judy of Patchwork Times pattern, Out of the Box. Remember how she challenged us to pull fabric from our stash?!! I went for the Christmas feel!



Another quick and easy kit from the Fat Quarter Shop. It was a fat eighth pattern. Again, I'll hunt for the name and get it posted.

At least something is getting done here!!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Making Progress

I started with the bottom boxes, and filled up the back of the QuiltMobile to the roof. Hauled it all over to Goodwill. Forgot to take a picture of the load, but, trust me, it was a lot. A TV, two VCRs, that sewing machine, books, a lot of them from college, household items, shoe racks, etc. Doesn't look like much is missing, but I feel really good about the two spots I worked on. And all this before noon!!!

I figure if I do this every weekend, or every two weekends, things will be orderly in -- well, in short order! And then I can get that commercial shelving out there for my fabric tubs!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Stash Report 2011 - Week 8

Not much happening here. No busts, but that will hopefully change by next week.

Small purchase. I can't pass up a good sale. 6.5 yards of Miniatures by Windham Fabrics. Kimberly at the Fat Quarter Shop had this as the weekly special last week, and I picked up a small bundle and two extra yards. When I do get back to sewing (after I finish up some things on my sewing table) I'm going to be doing a lot of smaller quilts, and I thought these were perfect for that.



Well, I can't get the link to work, so just type in "Miniatures" in the search box at the Fat Quarter Shop to check them out.

2011 Totals:

Busted: 54.16 yards
Purchased: 88.65 yards
Net YTD: (34.49) yards busted :(

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Catching Up

Many years ago we had a plant employee who came in and said he was resigning. When asked why, he said he didn't like manufacturing, that the work was "too tensible." While I thought that phrase was hilarious at the time, I'm starting to think it might be a good phrase to describe my life right now!! :)

This year will be an interesting one, to say the least. I feel like a big puddle of mush when I get home at night. I need to make lists, something I've never felt the need to do before. Just sitting here at the computer desk, I looked around and a couple of things caught my eye immediately.

I've wanted one of these for years and finally ordered it:



It's still sitting in the box because I want it to go here in my sewing room:



Can you see where I'm going with this?

So the first thing I pulled off the shelf was this:



The strips for this were cut, what, two years ago? All I need to do is the subcutting and then can get to stitching. I love the Bento Box pattern, but the fabric is not me at all. It would make a darling charity quilt. I need to maybe put a plastic tub in my sewing room and fill it with these kinds of things - have them handy and yet all in one place.

So then I go out into the garage to get a plastic tub. Yes, I have a stash of those out there, too! I have stashes of everything in this joint. (Did you notice all the cutter dies that haven't even been opened in that picture?)

The garage .... what can I say? I'm paralyzed every time I go out there. I tried to start throwing things away last weekend, but didn't get very far. The majority of the things I want to keep for when I retire and get a house again. But some of them can go now. I took some pictures to get a grip on what all's out there. Here is just a tiny glimpse into the netherlands of my garage:





What a mess! That Singer sewing machine is going to Goodwill. Someone gave it to me, and I plugged it in, turned it on - yep, it works - and then stuck it out there. A blue dumbbell from the physical therapy exercises after my shoulder surgery. Pictionary? There's my oriental rug! China, yep, it's still there. I have no clue what is in those other boxes. There's another row of huge boxes behind and under the rug. A couple of antique tables. Curtain rods? Golf clubs just out of the picture. Several of those big white boxes - Christmas and other holiday wreaths. I don't even know where to start in this section. Not pictured, a bedroom set, chairs to a kitchen table. The list goes on and on.



Plastic tubs of BOMs, a box of stuffed animals, all sitting on an old hope chest filled with more china, crystal and silver. That red bag I found all alone in a box last weekend. In it is something my father gave me as a joke shortly before he died - a pair of carpenter's overalls because I was painting at the time. I never put them on. They're brand-new but I can't get rid of them. To put all of this in perspective - Dad will be gone 37 years in May. A long time to hold onto something that will never be used, but I just can't toss it. All of this right next to the freezer. Don't worry, there's breathing room between it and the chest.



An old kitchen table stacked over and under with more tubs of fabric kits and backings. Even some finished quilts. That Grace frame - never used. It was given to me as a gift during the period when my shoulder was shattered and not healing, so I never even set it up. Might have to rethink getting rid of it, but it's just in the way now.

There are lots more sections like this, but the QuiltMobile was in the way and I couldn't get good pictures. It does help, I think, to have photos so I can look them over and perhaps list out what's going and what's staying. I've got a 2+ vehicle wide garage, but only have room right in the middle for one.

Would I qualify for that hoarder's show? I hope not....... just joking here, folks, seriously!

It's rainy this weekend. It might be a good time to come up with a game plan, even though I won't be able to move much of this stuff without some help. Yeah, that's a good idea!

So if you don't hear from me for a while, send out Search & Rescue! Or an intervention team! Or better yet, movers!!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Stash Report 2011 - Week 7

Some in, some out. Slowly progress is being made.

Busted - 18 yards.

Purchased - 11.66 yards. The finishing kit for Hearth & Home BOM came in. I also purchased a fat quarter tower of Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hoey - found it on eBay. It's not even out yet! :)



My pictures aren't good, so here's the Sherbet Pips link in the Coming Soon section at the Fat Quarter Shop. Penny thought food was involved! This is so not my normal fabric purchase, but I love this line.

Speaking of Penny - I wanted a better picture. So I cooked a piece of bacon and had her posed at attention. Just as I snapped the picture, someone walked their dog past the window. I give up!



2011 Totals:

Busted: 54.16 yards
Purchased: 82.15 yards
Net YTD: (27.99) yards busted :(

Well, that's odd. Even with the busts and purchases, my total didn't change. Sheesh...... what are the chances of that happening again? Vegas, anyone?

CORRECTION: The numbers I posted for Net YTD were incorrect - as my *anonymous* reader likes to point out to me occasionally. I stand corrected.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Celebrations and Give-Away Drawing

What a day! I ended up getting home sooner than I figured, so it's time for the give-away drawing.

First, though, no one guessed the special thing I was looking for for the lagniappe prize. Shucks, it was a good one! But I'll just put it aside for another prize another day.

What was I looking for? Well, today is my fifth blogging anniversary. But even more importantly, IT'S PENNY'S 2ND BIRTHDAY!



She still wants absolutely nothing to do with having her picture taken! Yep, terrible twos! This is as good as it's going to get for her "official portrait"!!

Anyway, back to the give-away drawing ... she didn't cooperate at all. So I had to pull a name out of the bag myself.

The winner of the Thimbleberries "Celebrate 20/08" collection is CYN!

Cynthia said:

I can't believe you are giving this away! It's wonderful!!!
I love the vintage Halloween card as Halloween is one of my two favorite Holidays. :-)
Enjoyed seeing Penny again and of course she has to have final approval of all activities at the LA Quilters Household! LOL!
I can't belive that 2008 was three years ago! Goodness...
BTW, they took the snow out of the end of this weeks forecast. Yay!!!


Congratulations, Cynthia. Just email me with your address and I'll get this off to you tomorrow. Hope this will help to ward off the cold weather you're having lately!

Thank you to all who left a comment. The thing I hate is only having one of these to give away, but I plan on having more give-aways this year so check back when you can.

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Extra Special Give-Away

This one is hard to part with, but I know a lot of you all will be excited to get a chance to win it, especially if you're a Thimbleberries fan!

In 2008 RJR and Lynette Jensen of Thimbleberries fame released a "Celebrate 20/08" limited edition collection. This collection marked 20 fabulous years of Thimbleberries. There were only 4000 of these made. This box is Number 233 of the 4000.



The collection includes 242 Twice the Charms cuts of all Thimbleberries collections released in 2008, and it includes a Celebrate 20/08 commemorative lapel pin and 16 note cards. As you can see from the picture, Penny is checking it out and she likes it!



Also included is a numbered Certificate of Authenticity signed by Lynette Jensen.



This is a real collector's item, folks. The reason I'm giving it away is because ... well, I don't know why except that I just want to share some of the nice things I have around here with others.

Don't forget the "lagniappe" prize if I find that something special I'm looking for in the winner's comments or on their blog. I'm not quite sure what the lagniappe prize will be at this time, but it'll be something good.

Just leave a comment here about how much you love Thimbleberries, or why you would like to win this collection, and you'll be entered in the drawing. Just be sure to leave a way for me to contact you, either a blog link or your email address. I'd sure hate to not be able to contact the winner!

The drawing will be held on Friday, 2/11/11, when I get home from work, which might be kind of late. But it'll happen next Friday night.

Good luck to everyone.

Stash Report 2011 - Week 6

I've given up on sewing until this month is over. I'm putting too much stress on myself - feeling too guilty about it. If I do manage to get anything done, that'll be great. If not, it's okay. I'm good with that.

This week there were no purchases and no busts. But a give-away will be posted tonight or tomorrow that I think is a good one. I have no clue how much fabric is there, but I'll do a little figuring and see if I can't come up with a fair number. Check back later for the give-away details.

Meanwhile ...



At least one of us around here is sleeping well!

2011 Totals:

Busted: 36.61 yards
Purchased: 70.49 yards
Net YTD: (33.88) yards busted :(

It'll happen. The sewing busts will come. Just not this month.

Friday, February 04, 2011

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings .....

..... and more meetings. Guess what I've been doing lately. It's not sewing, that's for sure.

Last night was the first in a couple of weeks that I had a full night's sleep. No headaches waking me up. No charley horses. I think exhaustion finally did the trick. Hope it holds through the weekend as next week will be a doozy and I need to be rested up for it.

I was seriously thinking of going on a blogging hiatus for a while, but I'll try to hang in here a bit longer and see how it goes. To keep things going, I'll be posting a give-away - probably on Sunday after the stash report. I'll try to think of something fun, but if I don't, it'll just be a regular old give-away. There will also be the "lagniappe" surprise for someone who has that little something extra in their comment or on their blog. So if you're interested, check back in on Sunday.

Nope, no pictures. I'm having a brain issue with the new camera. That will sort itself out. In the meantime, the new one is back in the box and stuffed in the closet. My trusty old point & click will have to suffice. On the next post. Not on this one. It's too early today to even think about pictures.

I've been watching the news and have everyone in my thoughts and prayers as these winter blizzards march across the country. Here in SoCal it's lush and green, though a bit chilly at 39 right now. But as the day progresses, we'll be up into the mid to high 60s. The perfect weather. Sorry. For all the things I don't like about CA, I do love our teeny winters. It makes the horrendous heat the other ten months of the year sort of bearable, as in, "If I can just hang in here eight more months, it'll be cool again." I've always yearned to live somewhere with regular snow, but after seeing what the rest of the country is enduring this week, I'm not so sure about that any more. Stay safe and warm!

One more thing. I'd like to ask a favor of all my readers.

Take a few stitches for me, will you?